If You Could Bottle Love.

Ah, now you’re listening aren’t you? Well it’s true – I know it’s only February but I reckon the wedding of Jessica and Justin is going to take some serious beating.

We are going global on Rock My Wedding today, Jessica and Justin are Australian and so we are going down under for today’s dose of inspirational wedding pretty, shot by Australian wedding photographer Jonathan Ong.

Jonathans shots are simply beautiful and It is a real shame for you lot that Jonathan lives over 10,000 miles away. If only he was coming to the UK for a bit… maybe say for July and August. And imagine if he was up for shooting a few weddings or engagement shots while he was here? That would be pretty groovy wouldn’t it? It might just be worth dropping him an email just to ask!

In the meantime enjoy a big old dose of love, Aussie style, from The Yarra Valley.

A Million Miles

Our wedding was held on the 28th of December 2011 at Stones of the Yarra Valley in The Yarra Valley – an hour out of Melbourne ( but feels like a million miles away).

Vintage Inspired

Melbourne designer Gwendolynne Burkin designed my dress. She is one very talented woman who makes the most gorgeous gowns that are vintage inspired – right up my ally. Walking into her studio gave me an immediate realisation that I was going to fall in love with many. I loved my dress after a few alterations just that little bit more and so did mum which made the decision a whole lot easier to make. The dress was made from spotted tulle and was crinkled tiered from the hips down.

Minimal Jewellery

I dont wear much jewellery at all so only wore my rings which felt complete. My florist made my floral head wreath which fit perfectly with the theme I was going for.

A Height Boost

This was the hardest part of my outfit! I’m no where near a “shoe person” but ended up ridiculously buying 4 different pairs. I didn’t want a “bridal” shoe and each pair became less and less bridal until finding nude coloured strappy stiletto’s (I need all the height I can get).

Nothing Too Structured

My hair was done by the lovely Lauren Mackellar. Her sense of style is very similar to mine – nothing too structured. Half a kilo of hair spray makes me feel a little woozy. She did some beautiful soft up do’s which were simply perfect. Mum is a whizz at almost everything. She did my make up ensuring I still looked like myself. Getting ready was that much more relaxing.

Amber Bottles And Blooms

Blooming Brides’ Rita Feldmann was so beautiful to work with. She understood my style as soon as we got chatting. With help from family, we collected boxes of amber beer bottles and boxes of glass jars (from Jam to pasta sauces) which were used as vases/votives. Amber bottles also hung from the Oak tree we were married under.

We wanted natural tones throughout the wedding so for flowers we had creams and whites with a lot of foilage. I love the ” Just came back from the garden and chucked the posies in jars” look and she got that down to a T. Rita predominatly used David Austin and Ice Berg Roses, Lisianthus, Snowberry, hydrangea, Field Daisy’s with sprigs of Rosemary. I didnt want to hold a bouquet or wear a veil so instead wore a head wreath which I loved.

Nothing Official

We didn’t officially have a bridal party but our best friends and sisters essentially were. Sam wore a Dom Bagnato Navy suit, white shirt and a Rhodes & Beckett Tie. The boys also wore pocket hankerchiefs which I absolutely loved. Briony my best friend who happened to marry Sam a month earlier and our sisters Louise, Mindy, Lana and Jodie wore dresses that each individually fell in love with. Perfect.

Spots and Checks

I wanted a surprise, so didnt have any idea what Justin was going to wear. He looked so very handsome in a Dom Bagnato light blue grey suit, Rhodes & Beckett Tie checked white and navy shirt, dark navy tie and a spotted pocket handkerchief to tie it all together. I tried very hard not to run towards him.

A Talanted Man

We discovered Jonathan Ong whilst browsing a couple of Australian blogs. We met a couple of times over coffee before hand and instantanously knew we had the right photographer. The pictures spek or themselves. I cannot express how lucky we were to have him. It felt very natural in front of the camera and it felt as though he was one of our guests. Jon is a very talented man. We adore his work and adore him!

Don’t Stop The Rock

We didnt have a cake as that would mean we would have stopped the dance floor to cut it! The venue provided delicious roaming dessert which was perfect.

Soul Of The Party

Soulbeats Entertainment played a few years ago at a family friends wedding. We both loved their music and danced the night away (I was even on crutches at the time!) We tracked them down years later and they were even better than we remembered. My youngest sister Jodie, belted out a couple of songs with the band too!

Signed Sealed Delivered

We didn’t really want a “first dance” so instead, we started the dance floor as soon as we were announced to “Signed Sealed Delivered”. Within 30 seconds of the song, we had everyone dancing on the dance floor and out on the patio. We continued dancing to a few more songs before being dragged away for dinner!

A Lot Of Bottle

The amber beer bottles and glass jars that we collected were a big feature of the decor from the bottles hanging as a back drop during our ceremony to the tables filled with jars and bottles as posie vases. We also had fabric stripped garlands that hung between posts that were in natural tones. They hung with Festoon lights that suited the barn like venue. Emma Scarlett helped source the festoon lighting and created the stripped garlands for us. We also used an old rustic window for our table seating chart that was displayed during drinks at the “Dairy” before heading to the “Barn” for dinner.

A Simple Plan

We both just wanted a big party with people we love. There was nothing meticulously planned and traditions weren’t exactly followed to a T. It was perfect letting the day/night unfold naturally. We are very blessed to have the most beautiful family and friends. We are forever greatful to our parents.

Who want’s to start the what’s-amazing-about-this-wedding ball rolling? I’m leaving this one up to you peeps!

And just to confirm (in case my extreme hinting earlier wasn’t enough!) John is in the UK this year throughout July and August so drop him an email if you want an engagement shoot, or even if you are yet to find a photographer for your Summer 2012 wedding.

So, this morning when I was doing my hair in the bathroom I had to stop and ask the Big C, “Do you think wearing a big blue jewel in my hair is a bit much for the office? I’ve got a budget meeting today and I want to look as though I understand what they’re all saying and that I do actually ‘get’ the concept of budgeting?”

“I don’t know…I suppose it kind of depends on whether you’re going to keep the turquiose necklace, purple belt and eleven hundred bangles on? You are? Oh, I dunno, maybe…what about this tortoise shell headband…it’s a bit more subtle…kind of a nice nod to these times of austerity. You don’t want to go to a budget meeting dripping in jewels…even if they’re not real.”

DAMN YOU BIG C. After seeing Jessica’s crown of flowers I now feel hideously unadorned…it is just so so so so, oh oh oh oh, beautiful!

I also really love that hug between Jessica and her mum…in fact all the really touching family shots before the actual wedding…I read somewhere (and lets face it, it was probably on here) that in the excitement and frenzy of getting ready with bridesmaids, a bride had missed getting a picture of her and her mum before the ceremony…think that’s really important…I can’t imagine how I’m going to feel the morning of the day but imagine how a mum feels seeing her girl in a wedding dress – BIG moment for the mums that must be captured!

If you described the decor – we have gone for a load of old brown beer bottles and loads of drapes that look a bit like raggedy old bandages hanging everywhere – people might be forgiven for thinking you’d gone a bit mad.

But look at it – it’s amazing!

@Pamela – I think you should spend your morning constructing a crown of flowers. There are things in life that are more important than budget meetings. Flower crowns for example.

@Sonia – I totally agree. I think this has made my day too, and it’s only 8:45am

Now this looks like the kind of wedding I’d love to be invited to! Somehow I think if I tried to recreate the old beer bottles on string it wouldn’t look anything like this… More like I was trying to create some elaborate trap for wasps I fear.

Who knew beer bottles could look so good! Also, what a great blooming excuse for getting sloshed every weekend before the wedding – I’m not doing it for the alcohol, I need the bottles for decor… honestly!

@Adam – What about this for an idea…I could go to the budget meeting in aforementioned tortoise shell headband, looking like a total Sensible Susan (who’d have thought one band would be such a good disguise)…

The men in blue blazers with brass buttons would then be lured in by the sensibleness of the band, they would feel secure in my budgeting abilities, thinking that a girl with such sensible taste in head wear would take all necessary measures to safeguard the budget. And, as such they would give me loads of cash…(“THE FOOLS!” we would all be screaming inside!)

I would then make a dash for it…although I am in quite high heels today, am wearing a pretty big necklace that when I run it is has a propensity to whack me in the face…so maybe not a dash, more of a shimmy…I’ll also need time to grab my scarf off my desk as it has a rather unusual horse print on which I love it…

We can then escape to a flower market, spend all the cash on blooms and make garlands and flowery eyelashes for everyone…

Better not show this to my other half – he already suggested saving cash by using lager and cider cans “to stick flowers in”… Granted we have a fair few in the recycling bin, I’m doubting a whole bunch of tennants and strongbow cans would look quite as ethereal as the amber beer bottles… Xx

@Pamela – did you not wear the big blue jewel? I wanted to see a picture. I have a tendency to buy a matching necklace, bracelet and earrings (all statement) and want to put them on all together at the same time… I just can’t help it.

@Ruthie_Ruth – this dress gave me wobbles and I’ve been married nearly 3 years … (!)

@Lynsey – How about Carlsberg? as in “If Carlsberg did weddings..” – you could even make a big sign…

There were no photos of the table plan (was there a table plan!?) but would love to know what it was like. We’re having long banquet tables and there are basically ZERO examples out there of quirky ideas for a plan for that set up.

@Charlotte – no, I whipped the big blue jewel out as it is quite heavy and if I’ve got a high, quite tight ponytail it’s weight can give me a headache…and I didn’t want a headache on the train in this morning as I wanted to marvel at the pictures from last night’s Brits and wonder how I can get legs like Abbey Clancey’s before 26 August!

Said jewel has also fallen off head before, landed in soup, which has then splatted all over my face. Blue jewels are a risky game to play.

And you should wear your statement jewels together…there is nothing wrong with that at all…there is no point at all having pretty, shiny things sat at home in boxes for the day when you meet the queen, because what if you never get invited to meet her?! Then the jewels have been wasted and the whole purpose of a jewel is to SHINE.

Ramble – by the way – did you see Lana Del Rey get on stage last night – I would very much like to rock a red dress that gave me boobs like that!

What a perfect start to the morning…although it is clearly 11am and past my tea break :s beautiful wedding, stunning bride…just fecking lovely all round! xx ps. did anyone catch the new rock Adele was rockin at the aforementioned Brits? loving the canary diamond!

EVERYTHING about this wedding is perfect, from the dress, to the flowers, the hair flowers, decoration to the photography – both day and night. Beautiful shots, what a stunning wedding!! Thank you for sharing 🙂

this has cheered me up immensely today! dress is gorgeous & the bride even more so. beautiful beautiful beautiful is the only words i can use for this. From the photography, decoration to the love it is all so very beautiful!

I am lost for words (and that doesn’t happen very often!). This wedding is beyond beautiful-I absolutely love every little tiny detail (especially the bride’s stunning dress, her crown of flowers, the amazing reception venue and those brown beer bottles that look so cute!!)

It looks like such a relaxed and carefree day. Every single photo is glorious-I wish I could get married all over again just so I could book Jonathan Ong as my photographer.

yes yes yes, whopping big canary diamond on her dainty ring finger…speculation of actual engagement as no announcement! loving coloured gems…when trying rings for myself I found that normal diamonds, as lovely as they are, don’t go with my milky pale complexion 🙁 but the boy came up trumps with a beautiful vintage inspired sapphire affair! Loves xxx